Two International Human Rights Organizations Call for the Release of Nasrin Sotoudeh

On Wednesday, June 13, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch issued separate statements criticizing the detention of Nasrin Sotoudeh, a lawyer and human rights activist, and called for her immediate release. Reports indicate that Nasrin Sotoudeh was arrested at her home in Tehran and transferred to Evin Prosecutor's Office. Reza Khandan, Sotoudeh's husband, stated in an interview with Radio Farda that the reason for her arrest was the enforcement of her five-year prison sentence. Philip Luther, the director of research for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, said: "Nasrin Sotoudeh has dedicated her life to defending human rights in Iran. She has received international awards, but has paid a heavy price for her courage, including three years in prison. Her arrest is the latest example of Iranian authorities' destructive efforts to prevent her important work as a lawyer." Luther added: "We call on Iranian authorities to release Nasrin Sotoudeh immediately and unconditionally. Any action other than this should be condemned by the international community." Human Rights Watch also called for her immediate and unconditional release. Sarah Leah Whitson, the director of the Middle East division at Human Rights Watch, stated: "Nasrin Sotoudeh is a human rights hero who should be celebrated for her tireless defense of citizens' rights, not imprisoned." Reza Khandan explained that his wife's arrest was "completely unprovoked." According to him, the agents had an arrest warrant that was "apparently issued based on a five-year sentence previously handed down by the Revolutionary Court." Nasrin Sotoudeh has consistently criticized the judiciary's approach to citizens' rights in Iran and recently protested the announcement of a list of 'trusted' lawyers by the head of the judiciary for handling political and security cases. She emphasized that introducing this list of lawyers "eliminates the half-hearted right of defense for political and security defendants and leaves the accused in a space filled with fear and without defense in the grip of security institutions." Previously, in March 2018, during protests by women and girls against mandatory hijab, which included removing their headscarves in public and hanging them on sticks, Nasrin Sotoudeh acted as the lawyer for Shaparak Shajari Zadeh, one of the hijab protesters, warning about the violence against these individuals. Nasrin Sotoudeh was arrested on September 4, 2010, and in the first trial was sentenced to 11 years in prison for charges of "acting against national security," "propaganda against the regime," and membership in the Human Rights Defenders Center, along with a 20-year ban from practicing law and a 20-year exit ban from the country. This sentence was reduced to six years in prison and a 10-year ban from practicing law in the appeals court. She was released after about three years in prison, having served more than half of her sentence on September 18, 2013.